Richard Flynn, a heavy goods vehicle technician from Rawmarsh, Rotherham was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, with an additional penalty of 120-hours community service.

Christopher Taylor, a house husband and gym owner also from Rawmarsh, Rotherham was sentenced to nine months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, with an additional penalty of 80-hours community service.

The operation netted seizures of substantial quantities of Class C drugs – testosterone, methandienone, and oxymetholone. £9,000 cash hidden in a cupboard under the stairs was also seized from Flynn’s home. The total estimated street value of the drugs seized was £7,000.

The pair were also involved in the importation of the human growth hormone, Hygetropin, with an estimated value of £96,000.

Tests on the products seized during the investigation had shown that both the oxymetholone and Hygetropin from www.hygetropin.com.cn contained no trace of the stated active ingredients.

The counsel defending Flynn said he became involved in steroids with the aim of competing in the World’s Strongest Man competition.

Mr Taylor was arrested in October 2008 at Steelworks Gym in Parkgate, Rotherham. Two boxes were seized from his car, a VW Touareg 4×4. One contained 39 tubs of Zanabol, each tub containing 1,000 tablets. The other box contained 47 boxes of oxymetholone.

A further box containing 44 boxes of 10 ampoules of testosterone enanthate was seized from Steelworks Gym, together with postal related documents and packaging, and three boxes of 10 ampoules of water for injections.

A parcel was collected by MHRA investigators at Stansted Airport in November 2008. It contained 250 vials of an unidentified white powder labeled Hygetropin from www.hygetropin.com.cn . Analysis has since shown that this product contained no human growth hormone.The estimated value of this product is £3,000.

Analysis of Flynn’s computer by forensic experts revealed e-mails that appeared to show he was dealing in various steroids from July 2007. From March 2008, Flynn and Taylor appeared to enter into a project to import fake Hygetropin, then package and re-mail the product, along with a contact based in China. Emails outlined the importation of parcels of the ‘product’ by courier from China to around ten addresses in the South Yorkshire area and the transfer of funds back to China.Other e-mail evidence showed Flynn attempting to obtain suppliers for steroids, arranging importation and then offering to sell the products from June 2007 onwards. It is estimated the pair imported at least 8,000 vials of fake Hygetropin.

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